Has anyone noticed differences in a wine if you are tasting the wine inside vs outside. I’ve had two wines now that were both very different inside a house and outside the same house. Ultramarine Rose 2011 and the Once & Future Petite both had much more fruit on the nose outside instead of inside, to the point of them both being a different wine. I have no idea why this would happen.
Temperature and smells in the room make a big difference for me. Were you cooking/eating inside?
Also, how was the Once & Future petite? Pretty young, no?
I went camping with the fam this weekend and I noticed a pretty big difference drinking a Cameron Hughes 522 field blend outside in the pines vs. The night prior in my house (separate bottles).
Much more expressive and open outside vs much tighter and less telling on the nose especially, inside. Obviously a million factors that could be contributing to this (glass, setting/company, etc)…but this was a timely question as I just experienced this over the weekend.
I would never have a serious tasting outside. Wines show differently outside. Subtleties sometimes disappear, particularly on the nose. Hard to know what to attribute it to–I think some can be blamed on even small wind currents. When I know that an event or meal will be outside, I tend to pick more obvious, forward wines.
We’ve noticed the same. Better outside than in. Both at my house and at friends houses.
All of my professional tasting happens inside. I can’t control the environment at wineries but most of them are quiet without distraction and nothing is rushed. At my studio, everything is as constant as I make it. Same light, stemware, temperature, etc.
Years ago I went to Opus One with a client. after the tour emphasizing white surfaces and natural light where we ended up tasting was anything but. I stepped outside where they had recently cut the grass and noticed the wine came alive. I encouraged my client and his guest to try the same. On a later visit the tasting room staff suggested that we “now try the wine outside.” 
Sometimes wine is secondary to enjoying the beauty of being outside.
Tasting - I’ve never noticed a difference. Taste wine outside all the time and have had many a “serious” tasting outside.
Smelling - sometimes it matters, particularly if you’re near a horse barn or a chicken coop.
wine always tastes better outside.
#undisputeableprovenfact
Paul - now that I think about it, it depends. It’s better outside of the house but inside of me.
agreed.
Tasting I don’t know, but smelling yes, all the time. I find that when you smell a wine outside, this brings out the fruit a lot more - consistent with your observation. In fact very often, if a wine has a reticent nose, I take the glass outside (whether at home or in a restaurant) to smell it and find out what kind of fruit it smells of. I also find that outside you lose somewhat the more subtle nuances.
Why it happens? I don’t know. Perhaps because there is more oxygen outside?
In any case, whenever you go from inside to outside or viceversa, there is a change of temperature and a change of the smell of the air - you come from something that you assumed to be “neutral” then you go out (or in) and you notice a difference. Within a minute or two you adapt and find your new environment neutral again. So if it is not the interaction of the wine with the air, at least there is a different background over which you have to smell the wine.
Better inside where conditions can be controlled, or, at least more neutral. Outside you are dealing with allergens, pollens, leaves, grasses, car & diesel exhaust, wind currents, just to name a few distractions. The only wine I that showed well outside for me was a 1990 Pegau in 2002…perhaps it depends on the wine, huh?
No cooking and the house is only a few months old. The Once & Future had a four hour decant and was better than I thought it would be, much more restraint than I thought it would have. I was a Big wine but it had such great balance. I remember someone here said it reminded them of a Jacob Franklin so we tried it next to a Jacob Franklin Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah 2010. They were both great, the difference was the JF was more about big Petite Sirah fruit and the Once & Future was just a seamless wine start to finish. I bet the Once & Future lasts almost forever. If anyone has one to spare I would suggest trying one with at least a four hour decant, you will be glad you have this wine.
I guess the fresh air has a cleansing effect on olfactory sensors which in turn enhances the sense of smell. Just like you suddenly smell more tobacco when you exit a smoking room after spending hours in it.
I think ambient temperature can play a big role, especially outside. I served 2014 Alliet and Baudry Granges side by side at a Labor Day cookout (close to 90F). Even though the bottles were kept cool, and I’ve had each one at least 3 times before, I couldn’t differentiate between the two by taste alone. Both wines seemed volatile, and the alcohol was much more prominent than in all previous tastings.
I find that humidity, particularly when combined with heat, impairs my ability to smell and taste wine, particularly red wine. It may be psychological, but perception is reality in this case. Wines can show better outside than inside on a crisp fall day, but other than those days, I generally find the reverse to be true.
Exactly my experience.
By “humidity,” you mean on hot and humid days, right? I assume 65 degrees and 75 percent humidity doesn’t hurt your tasting experience.
I think the inside/outside preference depends on the wine itself, in addition to the temperature, humidity, distracting noises and general environmental considerations. To me, Sauvignon Blanc always is better outside, Burgundy better indoors. Ambient odors obviously play a role, and Burgundy goes best against a background of food smells, SB with grass and flowers.
Good Champagne gets lost outdoors, simple wines seem even more simple indoors.
P. Hickner
You’re correct, lots of different factors. This is why I think its ridiculous to spend a fortune on wine in loud, noisy, odor-filled restaurants (and I use the term “odor” in a neutral sense)…I can’t imagine a more impacted/competitive sensory environment and have had many disappointing experiences.
Since you live in Phoenix, I imagine your house has been pretty shuttered with the air con on?..I can see how that situation would create an environment with air that your senses equalize with and that would definitively impact your ability to smell all a wine has to offer…the outside air also has “odor” but it still refreshes your olfactory sensibilities vs the house air to which your nose/palate has adjusted. Also, a house with a lot of cooking going on can overwhelm your olfactory capabilities as can altitude.